Valve for cornets



(No Model.)

B. A. GATES.

VALVE FOR CORNETS. No. 455,562. Patented July 7,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ETHAN ALLEN cA'rEs, or DEL xoa'rn, Assicivoa or ONE-HALF 'iOnltlSEPH B. MOOMAW, or ALAMosA, ooLonAno.

VALVE FOR CORNETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 455,562, dated July '7, 1891. Application filed January 14, 1891. Serial No. 377,897. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: in a straight cylindrical case or shell D, whose Be it known that I, ETHAN ALLEN GATES, axis is made to coincide wit-l1 that of the of Del Norte, in the county of Rio Grande ,mouth-pipe A, the bore of the main pipe A and State of Colorado, have invented certain in the portion thereof adjoining said case be- 5 new and useful Improvements in Valves for ling likewise in a right line with that of the Cornets and Similar ind-Instruments; and mouth-piece. I do hereby declare that the following is a The valves consist each of a cylindrical. full and exact description thereof, reference block E, adapted to rotate freely within the beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings,and cylindrical easing D upon the axis of the 10 t0 the letters of reference marked thereon, mouth-pipe A, instead of, as has heretofore making a part of this specification. been customary, at a right angle therewith, My invention relates to improvements in and are so fitted end to end as to make a close the tone-changing valves of cornets and simijoint each with the other, although each rolar Wind-instruments, and has for its object tates independently of the other. Their lon- 15 to simplify the construction thereof and to gitudinal movement in the casing is preventprovide a simple, effective, and uniform ared by the re-entrant curve of the ends of the rangementof Windpassagesin the valves and easing, whereby its diameter is reduced at their connections, which shall present aclear each end to conform with that of the mouthand continuous bore through the instrument, pipe and main pipe, as shown in Figs. 1 and 20 free from abrupt or angular changes in dit, and re-entrant collars ff (see Fig. 1-) may rection, and thereby improve the quality and be formed in the inner periphery of the casing harmony of tone and will involve a miniat the several joints between the valves. mum valve movement to produce the re- The valve-easing or shell D is divided lonquired efiects. gitudinally and diametrically into two we 25 It consists in the novel construction and artions to facilitate fitting, repairing, adjustrangeinent of the valves and air pipes or ing, and cleaning the valves, and these seechambers of the instrument, substantially as tions are united by clamps, screws, or other is hereinafter described and claimed. suitable devices.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is Each valve-block E is formed with two air 0 a side elevation of a cornet in customary passages or sound-ways ll and H therein, form, and Fig. 2 a similar elevation on a reone at each end thereof, as shown in Fig. at. duced scale of a bell-up cornet, each em- One end of the bore of each of said passages bodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a transverse is central and concentric with the axis of the section in line as or of Fig. 1; Fig. at, a longivalve, and it extends thence radially with a 55 3 5 tudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through regular uniform bend or curve to the periphthe valve-section of the instrument in line ery of the block, the peripheral openings of y y of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, a detail transverse the two passages being in the samelongitudisection similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a modifinal plane. Since the openings of these aircation in the arrangement of the valvepassages H and H in the ends of the several 4o crooks and in the working mechanism of: the valve-blocks E are all central and axial, it valve. follows that they will register each with the Similar letters indicate like parts in all of other to form a continuous passage from the the figures. one valve into the other, as well as from the A represents the mouth-pipe of the instrutwo end valves, respectively,directly into the 5 45 ment, fitted, as usual, with a mouth-piece I), mouth-pipe A and .main pipe A, (see Fig. 4,) and A is the main pipe, terminatingas usual so that the sound-ways in the valves are conin a flaring bell or trumpet O. stantly included in the bore of the instru- The valves by which the various air-pasmenf. as a continuation thereof into whichever sages of the instrument, intermediate its operative position the valves maybe turned. 50 mouth-pipe and main pipe, are controlled so as To provide for the open tones of the instruto produce its open and valve tones ,are fitted ment, short external curved or bowed tubes or crooks K K are fitted laterally to the shell or casing D, opposite each valve E therein, in position to connect with the peripheralopenings of the air-passages through said valve, as shown in Fig. l, and the valves are made to assume normally the position in which these air-passages and shortbowed connecting tubes or crooks K K shallregister, so that normally a continuous and comparatively short and direct passageis opened through the several valves in connection with said crooks between the mouth-pipe A and main pipe A for the production of the open tones of the instrument. To vary the same and produce the several valve-tones, additional longer crooks L L are fitted t0 the shell or casing D, one or more opposite each valve, in position to connect withthe peripheral ports of the air-passages H and ll in the valve when it is so far turned upon its axis as to carry said passages out of register with the short open-tone crook K. Thus the current or blast of air forced through the instrument may be directed from the short passage through the open-tone crooks K into a longer passage through one or more of the valvecrooks L L, so as to produce the valve-tones.

The lengths of the several valve-crooks L vary, as is required in the production of different valve-tones in the instrument. Each valve E may be rotated, as required, to change the connection of its air-passages from the short or open-tone crook K to the long or valve crook L, and thereby alter the pitch of tone by means of a radial arm M, (see Fig. 3,) made to project outwardly from the periphery of the valve-block E through a radial slot in the shell or valve-casing D, said arm being operated by means of any appropriate mechanism-as, for example, by pivoted toggle-joint levers N and N, fitted exteriorly upon the casing and provided with a fingerplate P, so that pressure upon the plate will cause the valve to rotate. -\Vlien left free, the valve is returned to its normal position by the stress of a suitable spring 11.

My invention admits of placing several crooks or bowed tubes of various lengths in position to register with a single rotative valve, and such a modification is illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, wherein a number of separate crooks K L L L, of different lengths, are shown as fitted to the casing D in position to connect with and complete the air-passages in the valve E when the valve is turned to bring its lateral ports severally into register with any of said crooks. It is evident that by increasing the diameter of the valve and providing means for its proper rotary movement the number of crooks thus arranged to radiate from the single valvecase D to connect with the one valve E for producing different tones may be largely increased, so that the one single-valve arrangement shown in Fig. 5 may be made to serve in the place of several separate valves fitted end to end, as shown in Fig. l, said singlevalve arrangement being for the purpose of improving the quality of tone by lessening the number of curves in the air-passage and perfecting the tune of the instrument by us-- ing only one crook at a time, the separate crooks being adjusted to tune independently of each other, no one of them by its adjustment altering the tune of any other.

As a substitute for the radial arm ill for rotating the valve-block E, the valve-block may be connected or combined with a toothed wheel M, mounted within the valve-casin g D, to gear with a sliding rack or similar device for actuating it.

My invention secures equatones and more perfect tune in the instrument by independent crooks presenting curves of the same number and having the same uniform radius in all the connections and by maintaining a constant uniformity in the curvature of the bore of the instrument throughout its valve portion, while by arranging the valves to 1'0- tate upon a common axis parallel with the general direction in length of the passages through them each may be operated with a very short finger action and with a minimum of friction.

I claim as my invention 1. A valve for cornets and similar wind-instrumen ts, rotating upon an axis coincidental and parallel with the center line of the mouthpipe and main pipe of the instrument, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In a cornet or similar wind-instrument, a cylindrical connecting-case whose axis coincides in direction with the axis of the mouthpipe and main pipe of the instrument and with the axis of the valve, a valve rotatingin said case, having two separate sound-passages severally opening at opposite ends of the valve in the center thereof and each terminating in separate lateral or peripheral ports, and two or more bent tubes or crooks attached to the easing and with whose open ends in theinterior of the casing the lateral valve-ports are adapted to be brought into registry by a rotary move ment of the valve, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with a single valve in a cornet or similar wind-instrument, of a series of independent crooks disposed about its periphery to be severally brought into registry with its openings by a rotation of the valve, whereby the changes of pitch within the compass or registry of the instrument may be obtained by a movement of the one valve, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

at. The combination, with the mouth-pipe and main pipe in a cornet or similar wind-instrument, of an interposed cylindrical connecting-case whose axis coincides in direction with that of the mouth-piece, a valve rotating in said case, having two separate air passages severally opening at opposite ends of the valve in the center thereof and each ITO terminating in a separate lateral or periph- In testimony whereof I have signed my 10 eral port in the periphery of the valve, one 01' name to this specification in the presence of more bent tubes or crooks attached to the two subscribing Witnesses.

casing and with Whose open ends the lateral 5 Valve-ports are adapted to be brought into ETIIAN ALLEN GATES.

registry by a movement of the valve, and a device for producing said movement, sub- Witnesses: stantially in the manner and for the purpose H. A. PATTERSON,

herein set forth. J. B. MARSTON. 

